Staff’s pick for LRT contract to be revealed Dec. 5

City officials will reveal the consortia of companies they believe should build the light-rail system that will be the biggest transportation project in Ottawa's history since the Rideau Canal on December 5, Mayor Jim Watson announced Friday.

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The project, which the city believes will cost $2.1 billion, calls for 12 kilometres of light-rail transit to extend from Westboro to Gloucester.

The city also plans to construct a 2.5-kilometre tunnel underneath downtown.

A city committee will vote on the proposal on December 12. It will then go to city council a week later on December 19.

A series of public consultations are scheduled across the city up until the final council vote.

The city received submissions in September from three different consortia who bid to construct and maintain the LRT system. Ottawa Transit Partners (led by VINCI Concessions), Rideau Transit Group (led by ACS Infrastructure Canada Inc.) and Rideau Transit Partners (led by Bouygues Travaux Publics S.A.) were all shortlisted.